Straitjacket Feeling
by Ziggurat Rolsovitch
Summary: AU: Jake is sick with a life threatening disease, but Fionna and Finn unable to afford the operation, resort to drastic measures and attempt to rob a crime boss. When the heist goes wrong Fionna is trapped in the dark world of sex and drugs her only hope of survival is Marshall, who knows the ropes, but what happens the jaded addict starts to fall for her? Can they escape darkness?


Title: Straitjacket Feeling  
>Category: Adventure Time: Anime Style!<br>Author: Ziggurat Rolsovitch  
>Language: English<br>Rating: M for use of drugs and sexual themes.  
>AN: Well... this is an uber dark theme. It's something that's very deep and very personal for me. It's a subject I've always found to be very, very sad and I had to write about it and about peer pressure and deeper feelings. Someone told me this was a stupid idea and that I was a bad writer... so... instead of dropping the idea I turned it into a fanfic to retaliate and prove them wrong.

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><p>"No way, Finn this is completely insane!" Fionna stated and turned away from him to walk away. There was definitely no way she was going to help this plot of his. No way. It was wrong.<p>

"Fionna, please, you don't understand. We really need the money. Think about Jake. He's not doing much better." Finn tried, he had to persuade her to help him. Even if it was a crime he just couldn't let his brother die just because he couldn't pay for the operation.

She stopped and looked at him with a sigh. "I know, but doing something illegal?"

"He won't even know the money is missing. Besides, a rich smug guy like him, what's he going to do with it? He has so much more and everything he could ever want."

"I… I guess… but only enough for Jake's operation. Okay?"

"I promise."

* * *

><p>The Grand Detour, which was the name of the extravagant casino, due to the fact that most people ended up here due to the constant construction on the main roads that seemed like it wasn't something that would end. Grand certainly had a right in the name; it must have costs millions to build. Finn suggested that the owner had likely paid off the workers to keep up the signs so this place could get more business. Apparently Finn was meeting with someone else to try and pull off this little heist; however what she didn't know was that when they sat down, the woman they were meeting with was the owner's very own business partner attempting a heist on her own partner. It shocked her that a friend could so cruelly betray another.<p>

"What is it that you need me for?" Finn asked.

"All I need you to do is to start gambling. Gamble enough away and he'll take notice." The woman replied to them, though she didn't like the way she eyed her as she spoke.

"I only want enough for my brother's sugary, Tiffany."

"Then I'll give you that much, but you could have so much more."

Fionna elbowed Finn beneath the table; it was a definite no on her part. Even if this woman wanted to be greedy and take as much as she could get, she didn't want them to take more than was needed. Normally she would be completely against this kind of a thing, but Jake's life was on the line.

"No more than that. You get what you want, just let me get what I need." Finn told her and Tiffany chuckled quietly and nodded.

"Yes, yes. Now go and cause some trouble." Tiffany started to get up.

"With what money?"

"Your own." Tiffany told him and paused at the look on Finn's face. "Don't worry. You'll get it back... and more."

The moment he was gone Fionna glanced at Finn. "How do you know she isn't trying to fool you into spending everything you have?"

"She isn't. She's too greedy. She definitely wants the money that's in the vault." He stood and headed to the nearest table. He had to take the chance, he was desperate and in that desperation he was blinded into what very well may be a trick. And so with his argument set in place Finn headed over to attempt to gamble some of his money away. She sighed softly and stayed near his side, even if she didn't think that he should be doing this.

However… Finn began to order drink after drink as he was getting more and more frustrated over the game. "I don't get it! I won the first time and now my luck has run out!"

"Finn… just quit…"

"I… I almost had enough… if I could just get back there…"

"You've just drank too much… stick to the plan." She whispered the last part, clinging onto his arm in attempts to calm him down and lure him away from the table. They were definitely getting stares and in the crowd she noticed that woman, Tiffany watching over them. She hadn't been helping them at all. Just as she thought, a lioness among sheep looking for her next pray and that was all until she moved onto her next meal.

"NO! No!" He slurred and tried to struggle away, desperate for the chance that he might be able to get the money he needed to save his beloved brother and only family member that he had left. It was understandable and she felt terrible for him, but this wasn't the way.

"Excuse me, but might there be a problem here?" A calm, practiced voice asked from behind them and Fionna made a face. Oh, they were going to get kicked out.

"I'm so sorry, please don't force him out, I'll walk him out!" Fionna pleaded and turned the face the owner of said voice with Finn leaning heavily on her in his drunken state.

The man, it seemed was no guard, rather he was dressed finely in a dark charcoal suit, with a red vest and bow tie beneath that, all of it fitting his form perfectly and obviously tailored specifically for his frame and above all else no doubt expensive. Black, polished shoes that reflected the light of the room in a way that seemed oddly impossible for a normally polished shoe even. Her eyes rose to his face and took in his aristocratic features and high cheekbones that made him look all the more of an epitome of an elegant man. His dark hair rolled down and curled over the back of his collar, stopping just shoulder wise. His eyes though, an unnerving green, made her uneasy.

"Oh? I hadn't intended to make you leave, rather I was to suggest that you return to your room and allow your husband to sleep off his intoxication. It would be a shame, but if you're to leave I won't hinder you."

"Uhm… he's not my husband and we don't have a room… so…" Her jaw was probably gaping open at him not being angry that they had made such a scene in his casino.

"Is that the case?" His voice seemed alarmed, though… there was a hint of something in his tone that she couldn't exactly make out. "I'll get you one then."

"Well… uhm, I'm afraid he spent everything he had and I didn't bring-" She would have continued had his amused laughter cut her off.

"It's on the house." He assured her and she glanced away from him for a moment. It would be difficult to get Finn out of here in his current predicament.

"Is there a catch?"

"No. No catch. Everyone, please go back to enjoying your evening; I shall personally attend to this matter! Come, miss." He waved a hand for her to follow and she did so, holding Finn's arm over her shoulders as he stumbled here and there faintly. Oddly he'd gotten really silent. She didn't know what he was thinking about. The hallways were decorated in the most elegant reds and gold, the floor a warm marble. It seemed that a lot of work had been put into this place and not to mention a lot of money. It was a sad thought, but money did make the world go around and it certainly made a lot of people happy. "You're kind."

"What?" She hadn't been expecting his words.

"For remaining with your husband after his foolhardy affair; the majority of the women that I know would not have been so generous." He stated and she frowned a little.

"He isn't-"

"Lich." Tiffany appeared, shooting them a brief wolfish grin of triumph. "Are you going to be getting rid of these two personally?"

"Why would I do that?" The man, Lich asked her, brow rose in a manner that seemed annoyed and irritated.

"He made a mockery of your casino. You'll do nothing?"

"I don't have time for your petty squabble. Please, return to your floor." He waved a dismissive hand and walked away and Fionna hurried after him, noticing the irate look that Tiffany gave. She didn't want to become involved with that woman again. She was only a trickster a greedy snake. "I apologize for her tactless words."

She said nothing, because really she didn't know what to say to him. They walked a little further until arriving at a door, number sixty nine. She made an ill face. "This is it?"

"Yes."

"I don't know how to thank you." She said as he opened the door for her so that she could carry Finn in and settled him into bed. The second he hit the mattress it seemed he had fallen right into sleep. She turned and found him still there leaning against the door frame.

"You could…" He began and her heart dropped. His fingers traced along the frame of the door as he averted his eyes from her and focused solely on that. "have dinner with me. In payment."

"You said it was on the house."

"Oh, yes. The room, but your husband ran up quite the debt gambling. Is he planning to pay it?" Lich asked her, bringing his eyes back up to her. She clenched her fist; into her shirt in attempts at hiding her fear. She knew there was no way he could pay it; he had dug himself in far too deep.

"Do I… have to do anything else?" She asked him nervously, trying to hide the shiver in her voice.

"Like what?" His fingertips stopped in a place on the door and his eyes met with hers directly this time, for the first time. What a devious man. He had been so nice at first she'd fallen for it, but he wasn't nice at all he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. She should have known based on the fact that that man was his uncle. "I only want you for dinner. I'm sure your husband won't mind considering if he doesn't he'll spend the rest of his life trying to pay off his debt. And I do mean _trying_."

"Hold it! One… he's not my husband and second it sounds like you're forcing me to say yes." Fionna stated, very upset at the thought of what this man planned on doing to her. "Someone like you shouldn't need me though… you could just easily buy a high class hooker…"

"Not one as pretty as you…" Lich countered and she shot a glare at him, the glare might make anyone else nervous, but not him.

"I… you just called me a hooker?" She gasped out suddenly in realization of his words, but he didn't become startled or surprised, rather he raised a brow at her.

"I believe that you called yourself that." His lips curled into a smile and he waved a hand in front of him briefly to ward off any counter she might want to make. "I will see you tomorrow night."

"I didn't even agree…" She said quietly as he turned his back.

"You didn't have to, I know that you will." He let out a low and dark chuckle as the door slowly came to a deafening close behind him.

Fionna winced and stood there staring at the door for several long moments before she quickly turned around and grabbed Finn by the shirt, shaking him hard. "Finn! Wake up! We have to get out of here now!"

Finn merely mumbled and rolled over in the bed, leaving Fionna to glance towards the bathroom and take notice of the sink. Drastic measures needed to be taken…**  
><strong>

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><p>"No. I only want the girl." It was the tail end of the conversation that the young man heard as he stepped through the door with a trey of Scotch and set it all down on the table, mixing a drink for his boss and then mixing one for himself. "She's a runaway? Good… good. Our set will finally be evenly filled up. I'll inform her of the news." With that Lich clicked his cellphone shut with a click and glanced over at his best worker sitting on the counter with a drink in hand. "How much did you hear, Marshall?"<p>

"Just the end. You've got a new girl, huh?" Marshall questioned, taking a drink and running the other hand through his hair slowly.

"As my best employee I expect you to show her the ropes. I want you to be her teacher." Lich informed, taking his drink from the counter next to Marshall and he nodded.

"Yeah. Sure. Not a problem. So… I get to play with her a little…?"

Lich sighed and slammed his glass down after finishing it in one drink. "No. I want her clean. Her first run will make me a lot if she's clean."

He sighed. "Right…"

"I'm going to go take care of business. Go get a room ready for her."

Marshall finished his drink off and leapt off the counter and saluted. "Right, boss."

Lich watched Marshall leave the office before he glanced at the glass setting on the counter and then headed on out of the room, down the hallway to the room the young girl was staying in. He set a hand on the dinner cart outside the door before opening the room and rolling the cart in. Upon seeing the girl desperate to wake her brother he couldn't help a smirk of amusement.

"Are you ready for that dinner with me?" Lich questioned and Fionna winced, this was not good, but it seemed she had no choice and needed to be careful of how she worded things with this guy. He opened the cover on the food trey and revealed two large steaks. Both of which were rare and she watched in disgust as he dipped a finger into the red liquid on the plate and licked it off. "We'll go to the next room over." He said while uncorking the bottle of wine and pouring her a glass, which he handed to her.

There was a long moment of silence where she stared at the offered glass… if she turned it down he would be suspicious of her and so she took the glass and took a drink. "After dinner… can my brother and I go?"

"Sure. You can leave this room after dinner." Lich informed, transferring the plates to the small table in the room near the fireplace. Fionna glanced over at Finn briefly, hoping for some sort of stirring, but he was still out. "Sit down."

Again, she hesitated, but took a seat across from him as he took a bite out of the bloody, rare steak without any second thoughts. "I'm… not sure I can eat that."

"You can… and you will… Fionna Mertens…" Lich smiled at how stiff she had suddenly become. "That's right… I know your ID is fake. I know that you're under age. I also know that you're a run away."

Fionna quickly stood up, but she grabbed her head at the sudden lightheadedness she experienced, as well as the spinning the room had started doing. "How…? … you drugged me…?"

"That's right." Lich stood up and caught her before she hit the ground as she collapsed into unconsciousness. "You're going to make daddy a lot of money."

* * *

><p>The black of the world slowly started to lessen from the previous pitch it had been thrown into and the young girl slowly sat up with a groan while she grasped her aching head. There was a faint song playing in the hallway and it only served to make her head hurt more, what was worse… was the faint thumping from the next room which also wasn't helping anything. That was when she sat up fully and put her legs over the edge of the bed and looked up at the half open door as someone walking by suddenly stopped and peeked in.<p>

"Oh! You're awake." The voice said, shoving the door open, but he stopped halfway into the room and looked her up and down. "Geez… how old are you?"

"Oh no… he slipped me a mickey so he could get his date rape on..." She said to herself, but then the guy in the room burst into laughter, which made her clench her fists in anger that he found this amusing.

"No… no… Lich doesn't touch his own product." He coughed and cleared his throat. "Look… I'm Marshall… I'm the guy that's going to show you how things work here."

"Product… what are you even talking about?"

"You owe Lich a debt right? Gambled too much? Well… he owns you now. You've got to work it off with interest. That's how he gets you." Marshall explained and Fionna wrapped her arms around herself.

"No way…" Fionna breathed, unbelieving of this.

"Look…" He rubbed a hand along his mouth and sighed. "just don't piss him off and you'll be fine. Don't bother trying to escape either… he catches you and if he catches you escaping… you're not going to like what he does. Just… work off what you owe."

"No way!"

Marshall brushed his hair back with a sigh and stepped over to her before dropping to sit down beside her, causing her to back away from him. "I'm… not going to touch you… _not right now_…" He mumbled the last part.

"What?"

"Nothing." He continued to rub the back of his head uneasily, before looking over at her awkwardly and taking her appearance in. "Seriously… how old are you?"

"Sixteen…"

"… hmmm…"

"Am I going to have to… sleep with people…?"

"Not… unless they can afford you. You're young, you're high stakes. Try not to worry too much about it. It's mostly dancing for them. I'll let you get rid of that headache first and show you around before we start." He thought he could at least be nice enough to cut the girl a break.

"What about my brother?"

"Brother? Ah, well… if he isn't here then Lich dropped him off somewhere. Don't worry… as long as you keep working for him he won't hurt your brother."

"Ohh…" Fionna's plans of escaping suddenly left her and she lowered her head, shoulders slumping down low.

"Hey… uhhh… so… let me show you around…" Marshall said, standing up and shoving one hand in his pocket while he offered the other one to help her stand up. Fionna wiped at her eyes, fighting the vision blurring tears that threatened to escape. It seemed that Marshall was in the same boat as she was to some degree… so she slowly reached up and took his hand.

With that he tugged her upwards and kept his hold on her hand as he dragged her along with him out into the hallways, explaining that these were the bedrooms where various activities took place, making her shudder that she had been tossed on one, which in reply he quickly corrected himself and promised the rooms were always cleaned. Next once they exited the long hallway was their stage area, there were a few people at tables watching the dancers on the stage and Marshall waved to a couple people he apparently knew well. This place wasn't as complicated as Fionna had expected, it was mainly the stage where people would watch the dancers and then the hallway and bedrooms where other things would take place if clients liked the dancer enough and could afford them. The elevators and stairway were closely guarded… there was no way she was going that way if she wanted to find a way out of here and recuse her brother.

Marshall glanced over at her and took notice of her staring at the doors and gave her hand a jerk as he pulled her towards the stage and up the small set of stairs that lead backstage. He knew full well it was bad for anyone to catch her staring and plotting. Even he knew what she was thinking by the look on her face… should the guards notice… it wouldn't be pretty.

"Anyways… this is where you'll be working… just… kind of try to get a feel for things. I'm going to be teaching you how to work." Marshall informed, pursing his lips as Fionna made a face.

"Like what…?"

"Everything." He wiggled his eyebrows a little suggestively and Fionna scowled at him, clenching a fist and preparing to punch him when suddenly both their thoughts were interrupted by the guy that walked by, warning nothing other than cat eats and a thong with a cat tail. "Yeah… you gotta get used to that. Anyways… let's head back to your room… get plenty of rest for training, Mk?"

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><p>It wasn't something she accepted at first, she had tried several times to escape in the middle of the night, but the door was always guarded. She'd paced around back and forth multiple times, internally screaming. In the end she had given up, because her brother's safety required it. One escape attempted getting caught could very well end his life.<p>

And so Fionna struck up an unusual friendship with Marshall. It was very humanizing in a place so dehumanizing, turning people into objects… though she suspected a sense of humor and also a sense of self-deprecation. She also found that she liked that slightly darker edge coupled with that soft, lingering melancholy from him. He had been watching out for her… and it scared her, because she thought that somehow… she was starting to fall for Marshall… she was starting to fall for a guy that slept with people for money. And he was here by _choice_ on top of it all.

"Hey? Are you paying attention, Fi? We're going to get started here." Marshall snapped his fingers in front of her face to snap her into present. He raised his brows when she jumped a little and shook his head, before turning on the music. "Come here."

Except she only stared at him a bit uneasily and he sighed and made his way over to her, pulling her forward to the open space of the stage.

"I can't…"

"Well we don't have a choice." He pulled her into him so that he could more easily teach her how to move; though he seemed more than amused with the position he put her in. His hands slid down her sides slowly and he took another step back with her, grasping her hips. "You just gotta get a little movement going in here. Guys love that."

_In the land of gods and monsters  
>I was an angel<br>Living in the garden of evil  
>Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed<br>Shining like a fiery beacon_

"Marshall…" She glanced away from him, but she had to try and learn. It was easy to get into trouble here if one didn't do their job and if she didn't do as he asked, Marshall would get in trouble.

"Just go with the song, baby…"

_You got that medicine I need  
>Fame, Liquor, Love give it to me slowly<br>Put your hands on my waist, do it softly_

Her gaze shifted and she locked eyes with him, forgetting about the song as she returned his signal and settled her hands on his sides. Her gesture urged him to raise his brows and smirked a little bit, confusing her as to why he found her trying to follow his instructions so funny. He pulled her closer against his body and continued with a few steps and motions for her to follow, leaning down near her ear until his lips grazed it.

"_'Fuck yeah give it to me this is heaven, what I truly want'_." He went along with the song lyrics and she tensed up with his voice saying those words right in her ear, even if it was part of the song she felt like he said it for a reason. "You don't like that, Fi? What would you like?" His hand slid down her hip and along her thigh to where it was bare due to a short skirt, his fingertips messaged the bare skin before lifted back up and inching the skirt up along with them. Her breathing hitched in reaction.

Suddenly clapping interrupted them. "My, my, their repertoire enlarges."

Marshall sighed in irritation and removed his hands from her, turning to their audience. "What are you doing down here Tiffany?"

"Just coming to check on her progress."

"Well I can't make any progress with you interrupting me at a vital point!" Marshall complained and Tiffany smirked.

"Looked vital… just hurry up and get her ready for tonight."

"I will. Soon as you get out."

"Watch your tone with me, Marshall." Tiffany warned and headed out, leaving Marshall to stick his tongue out at that wad before she disappeared.

"Comeon, Fi. Let's finish up here."

She swallowed with some difficulty and nodded slowly, wondering… what had just happened between them?!

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><p>During her time that passed she had been… mostly sheltered from the things that went on in this kind of place. It wasn't the best situation, but she realized that it could definitely have been worse. For some reason Marshall kept her as protected as he could, though the reason, she thought could be many different things. She'd been left alone in her room for some time after earlier when Tiffany had interrupted things… whatever it was that had been happening. She wasn't sure if Marshall would actually do that with her or not, but given his job she suspected he would take whatever he pleased if it came down to it.<p>

Then the very subject of her thoughts passed by the door and stopped, slowly double taking and stepping back, before stepping into her room with a deep sigh.

"What are you doing? You're not studying? Geez, do I have to do everything for you?" Marshall sighed and rubbed his head lightly as that annoying Ester Dean song Drop It Low came on and he shoved the door closed behind him to muffle it out. "I've heard that song already so many times today I think I'm going to have a brain aneurism if I hear it one more time."

She hadn't really been paying attention to all those things, but then again Marshall had been working all day and… well… he probably had done various dirty things in the past few hours so she kept her distance as he came closer, picking up her fallen book from the floor and opening a particular page that made him smirk, smugly and set it in front of her.

"I… don't want to see that kind of stuff…" she shoved the book away until it fell off the bed again, leaving her to pull her knees up to her chest.

"Hey, you don't have a choice, Fi… do what you've got to do." He moved up onto the bed with her and grabbed her chin, lifting it to his face. "Besides… I still have lessons to teach you." He pressed his mouth against hers abruptly and it startled her so much she attempted to shove him away, but he wasn't budging, she noted that he tasted like cigarettes. It was far from enjoyable. He broke apart from her for a second she tried to backtrack.

"Why do you do this?"

"Do what?" He asked, taking her hands and sliding them beneath his shirt and up his chest and she was close enough to notice an unpleasant smell that lingering within the fabric of his clothes. It was familiar… somehow, but at the same time she wasn't sure what it was. "Just like that. No hesitation."

"This job. Why did you pick something like this?" Her fingers instinctively curled against the warmth of bare skin they encountered.

"It wasn't my first choice, Fi." Marshall's voice sounded defensive to some degree and she furrowed her brow. "It was this or go back to my mother's home. And getting paid to do something that feels really good isn't the worst job I could do. It's strictly physical, it doesn't matter."

"It does matter." She countered and she heard the way his teeth clicked together as he gritted them, before he settled into crashing his mouth into hers once more, so hard she tasted blood, but she didn't know if it was his or if it was her own. He grasped her chin once more and she felt his tongue brush along her lips, but she held completely still, not moving and eventually after trying nicely to coax her into it he pulled back.

"Open up."

"Why?"

"I don't _really_ need to explain why do I? This is something you've gotta learn. It's basic." He informed seriously, apparently changing around the subject to forget what they were talking about moments ago. Finally he stuck his tongue out at her and she got the gist and shuddered.

"Ew! No way! Keep your tongue away."

He chuckled deeply in amusement. "You like it." There was a long moment of silence and he frowned at how uncomfortable she seemed, but the look on her face she seemed close to tears. "It does matter huh?"

This time he leaned into her and pressed his lips over hers, but gently. Carefully. Not at all like before. It seemed to be genuine affection. That was when the door opened and Tiffany stood there, arms crossed as seeing the two like that was against regulations.

"Marshall, our girl has her first client. Get out." Tiffany said and Marshall sighed and sat back, licking his lips.

"She's not ready."

"She needs to be. It's Ash requesting."

"She's. Not. Ready." Marshall repeated and got up. "I'll take her client. Don't worry about it. I'll make sure he won't complain."

Tiffany raised a brow. "Fine. Don't come crying to me when the client throws a fit and calls Lich up. You can't protect her forever."

"I'm just doing Lich a favor. An untrained girl working would be bad for business." He replied coolly and watched as Tiffany shrugged, not caring as long as it wasn't her hide on the line, before leaving the room distastefully. Marshall sniffed and reached into his pants for a rolled piece of paper, it wasn't a cigarette and she realized that the unpleasant scent on his clothes was the drug he lit up and inhaled without hesitation.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked suddenly, for him to go through this for her… how could she even let him do that?

"What? My job?" He asked, rolling his eyes. "See ya' later, Fi."

* * *

><p>Fionna found herself lost in a whirlpool of guilt over the situation that had occurred, she still hadn't seen Marshall and she didn't know where he was or what he was doing… or being subjected to. She'd heard from some of the others about that client. It was the most unpleasant situation she'd ever heard and she was left wandering until Marshall returned. She knew that he had said it was his job to do that and he acted as if he didn't care, but she knew that deep down he had to care.<p>

Across the way several of the workers were sitting and waved for her to come over, she was hesitant but she decided to head over and see what it was they wanted.

"Fionna, come party with us." One of the guys urged her and she pursed her lips, while crossing her arms defensively across her chest. It was a questionable decision. "At least have a drink."

"Maybe just one…" She said unsurely… because really it might be a good idea to make some friends here if she wanted to make her escape soon. Maybe others had the same plans. She reached out for the drink then, but a hand grabbed her wrist while another grabbed for the drink. She glanced over to find Marshall standing there, downing the drink in one go "Marshall?"

"You don't wanna drink that, Fi. It's ecstasy." He informed, slamming the glass onto the table in front of them and it was then that she noticed the dissolved pills in the bottom.

"Marshall…" the guy complained. "why have you gotta be such a buzzkill?"

"She isn't ready for that kind of hardcore stuff yet. Give her a little time." Marshall reached into his jacket for his own '_special_' cigarette and lit it up, taking a long inhale and holding it in, before exhaling to speak. "This on the other hand… is different."

"Gottcha." The man snapped his fingers in understanding and smiled, leaning back in his seat. "Why don't you hang with us Marshall?"

"I would, but I've got to get back to training our little bunny here." Marshall put an arm around Fionna then and turned her the other way. "How about later on tonight?"

"Sure thing, man."

"Great. See you later." He led her away from the area and back down the hallway to her room area, because it was just safer for her to stay in her room, away from the partying night life that his colleagues had. It startled her when he suddenly pushed her back to the wall and set one hand against the wall next to her head and the other hand grasped his cigarette between two fingers. "Alright… what are you doing playing to play big girl games?"

That was when she noticed it. His face was bruised, his right eye especially was a dark purple/black, but now wasn't the time to bring that up. She had to defend her position.

"I didn't know what it was…" She answered, but she refused to back down and break eye-contact and make herself seem weak against him. "I just thought having some allies would help."

"They won't make you good friends, Fi. Don't play with the big boys until you're a big girl." He warned offhandedly, raising his offhand to take a long drag and then breathing the smoke in her face before offering it to her and she winced at the skunky smell of it. "You wanna try? It'll loosen you up a little."

"I don't want any."

"Comeon… just one. It won't hurt you."

"That's what you think." She countered. "Then you get addicted."

He snorted with laughter. "Fi… you're not going to get addicted to it just trying a little."

"Is that what they told you the first time you tried it? 'cause you do it a lot." Fionna replied and he stiffened up, seeming to take offense to her words… or maybe… it had struck a chord of truth within him and he didn't like it.

"Whatever." It was his only response as he backed away from her and leaned on the wall opposite of her and averted his gaze off to somewhere down the hallway, turned his face from her; anything to avoid further comments on this subject. Now… now she took the opportunity when he wasn't in her space and observed his face. It looked painful.

"What happened to your eye?" Upon her question he smiled bitterly, but somehow at the same time he frowned and gave her a brief glance before shrugging.

"Some clients like to get a little rough. No big deal." That hit her in the heart/gut. It was one of the most painful revelations up to date. That he had taken on that task for her and been through something so much more unpleasant than it needed to be. She looked down and wrapped her arms around herself, unable to say anything for the longest time, until he finally glanced at her once more. "Wipe that look off your face."

"I'm sorry…"

"What for? You think I haven't done this all before?" He questioned and she opted for silence rather than answering him. "Don't even try and feel bad for me. Or else I'll get really mad at you. Got it?"

"Right…"

"Marshall!" Tiffany called as she approached the two and he rolled his eyes, taking another long drag as the annoyance of his life appeared before them. "Lich says that you need to run out and do a job for him to make up for your little screw up. Unless you want a repeat of earlier."

"Whatever." Marshall exhaled. "What am I doing?"

"Picking up a package of the good stuff our clients love most." Tiffany handed him off a list and he took it, reading it over once before nodding.

"Right, right, I'll head over and pick up the product. Do I at least get help carrying the boxes back and forth?"

"Just get going. Take Bubblegum if you need to."

"Screw that… I'll go by myself. Stay outta trouble, Fi." Marshall waved and headed off. Once he was far enough away Tiffany turned towards her.

"Well Bunny… now that Marshall can't interfere… I'd say it's time to break you in." Tiffany said and Fionna tensed up the second Lich opened the door and exited from her room with a smile so unpleasant she felt the chills go down her spine.

* * *

><p>Marshall was just getting back from the pickup and left the truck for someone else to unload, honestly, he'd gone his job for picking up the truck, which in and of itself was dangerous if he got caught in a truck full of drugs. That would no doubt get him tossed in prison for life without parole; strangely enough he could murder someone and get out in ten. Law was really screwed up sometimes. He hurried down through the back entrance and hit the buzzer to let them know the truck was in before getting into the elevator and taking it down to the basement where their special little club was located, before he went down the familiar hall and straight to Fionna's room. He hated to let it be known, but… he had this little soft spot for her. It was probably because she reminded him of himself at her age. Trying to take on the world, but not knowing how it disappointing life could be after having fantasies of fame and fortune for most of your childhood.<p>

He knocked on her door briefly, but he found got no answer and glanced around. Scowling he hoped that she hadn't gone off and started drinking with the Ash twins again. That was just a no good pair that would get you into the worst kinds of trouble. He knew best since he had spent time hanging out with them. He headed down to the twins room and knocked on the door, it took a few minutes for the male to answer, and clearly he was high.

"Hey, did you give Fi ecstasy or something? Where is she? She's not in there with you is she?" Marshall shoved the door open on him, which was easy in his state.

"Naw, man. You don't know? Lich took her to his office to break her in so you'd stop protecting her." He answered and Marshall froze, staring directly at the male before he turned around and broke into a sprint down the hallway to the stairwell, taking them two at a time. It seemed like it took too long to get where he needed to go and by the time he arrived at the office door he was already winded, he kicked the door in, he didn't care that he broke it. Didn't care about the wrath he'd face.

Lich looked merely irritated as he brought his attention from counting the cash on his desk, having lost track of the number he counted due to the rude interruption.

"Why did you do to her?" He asked, it was there, deep inside of him. Like lava slowly boiling up to the point it was going to erupt and explode, burning everything within its path.

"I had to do what I had to do in order to get that girl working." Lich replied as he stood up and poured himself a drink of Scotch. "You've gone soft. You're weak. But now there's nothing for you to protect her from. She's already experienced the worst."

That was it, Marshall saw red as his fists clenched and he was so angry he felt his entire being shaking with the rage, he went straight to the desk and opened the drawer, grabbing the fancy golden gone with the pearl handle and taking aim at Lich. Upon hearing that, Lich paused and turned around casually, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"You don't have the stones." Lich taunted him, before slowly stepping forward until the pistol was against his chest. He then spread his arms out wide. "Do it. Kill me if you think you can."

Marshall gritted his teeth and glared at him, finger squeezing the trigger just faintly, before his rage slipped away as he realized that he didn't think he could take another beings life… and he lowered his head in disappointment with himself that he couldn't exact revenge for her. Lich wrapped a large hand around the gun and jerked it from Marshall's hands. How the disappointment rushed through his bloodstream and made him feel like a truly weak cowards that could do nothing for the _one_ person he had been able to care for since he came to this place.

"See? You need me." Lich said and flipped the gun around and slammed the handle across Marshall's temple, sending him to the ground in one hit, where Lich then kicked him hard in the ribs. "You ungrateful piece of shit!" He kicked him repeatedly in the same place until he stepped around for a final knockout blow and brought his foot down into his face.

The last thing Marshall heard before blacking out was that sick, sadistic laughter and the last thing he felt before blacking out was the achingly strong desire to go to Fionna and be there for her to make sure that she was alright.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued~<p>

A/N: So what do you guys think? Is it good enough to be continued? Did I do well enough to prove that jerk that said I'm a sucky writer with bad plots wrong? Let me know what you guys think. I really need the feedback. This is a critical phase that will determine the fate of my writing career.


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